UTERRed snapper fishing in Georgia Coast
In Georgia Coast, red snapper are around year-round but never at the peak of their run, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. July: The South Atlantic opens for only a few days in July — release the rest. Check GADNR / NOAA.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Red snapper in Georgia Coast, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchAround
- AprilAround
- MayAround
- JuneAround
- JulyAroundThe South Atlantic opens for only a few days in July — release the rest. Check GADNR / NOAA.
- AugustAround
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberAround
- NovemberAround
- DecemberAround
Where to fish red snapper near Savannah, Tybee Island, Richmond Hill
Endless spartina marsh and tidal creeks behind the barrier islands — Tybee, Wassaw, Ossabaw, St. Catherines, Sapelo, St. Simons, Jekyll and Cumberland — cut by big sounds (Wassaw, St. Catherines, Doboy, St. Simons, St. Andrew), with shell rakes everywhere, artificial reefs nearshore and Gray's Reef and the Gulf Stream offshore.
Fish Scouter charts 338 artificial reef, 169 wreck, 11 ledge / hard bottom spots in the The Golden Isles map area — the kinds red snapper hold on.
What to use for red snapper
- Cigar minnowsNose-hooked on a stinger rig for kings, or a 4/0 circle hook dropped to the bottom for grouper.
- PinfishHooked through the back ahead of the dorsal on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook; the small ones free-lined, the big ones on a fish-finder rig.
- Threadfin herring (greenbacks)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined, or slow-trolled. Fragile — handle them wet and fast.
- SquidStrips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig.
- Leader30–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook2/0–7/0
- Braid30–65 lb
Feeds in 64–84°F water, best at 70–80°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch red snapper in Georgia Coast?
Red snapper are in Georgia Coast year-round, but the calendar never marks a peak here. July: The South Atlantic opens for only a few days in July — release the rest. Check GADNR / NOAA.
Where do red snapper hold in Georgia Coast?
Look on artificial reef, wreck, ledge / hard bottom — around Savannah, Tybee Island, Richmond Hill, Darien, Brunswick, St. Simons Island.
What is the best bait for red snapper in Georgia Coast?
Live bait: cigar minnows, pinfish, threadfin herring (greenbacks), squid. Cigar minnows: Nose-hooked on a stinger rig for kings, or a 4/0 circle hook dropped to the bottom for grouper. Tackle: leader 30–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 2/0–7/0, braid 30–65 lb.
What are the rules for red snapper in Georgia Coast?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (Georgia DNR) and change — read the current rule at https://coastalgadnr.org/RecreationalFishing before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://georgiawildlife.com/licenses-permits-passes.
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